For 2021, I set monthly categories to read from, in an effort to feel less constrained by reading challenges that I’d participated in previously, while continuing to work through the massive collection of books that I already own or have borrowed from friends and family. Each month I’ll include the books that I finished within the month’s category reading, books finished outside of the category reading, books in progress, and books abandoned. And I’ll tell you where the book was sourced from. For August 2021, my reading list is from the category of whatever strikes my fancy, with an emphasis on finishing some books that are in progress!

Books Finished:

Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green

New physical book.

I picked this book up on our trip to Michigan last month. Set at the tail end of World War II, the book is epistolary in its format, which I found enchanting. Right off the bat, you find out that the protagonist is accused of treason. And from there, you journey back in time to read about how she ended up in that position.This book was wonderful.

Summer Island by Kristin Hannah

New physical book.

A mother leaves her husband and daughters, all of whom break in their own unique ways. Years later, the mother’s successful career as an advice columnist and radio show host implodes when illicit photos of her surface. And one of her daughters, whose own life and career as a comedian is in shambles, gets offered a small fortune to write an expose on her mother, as well as the opportunity to dig up dirt on her. This book was good, but not quite as poignant as some of Kristin Hannah’s other books (although perhaps it just wasn’t the right time to read this after my own mother’s passing earlier this year).

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library on Libby.

I love Emily Henry’s novels. They are the perfect mix of beach read, romance, modern-day mystery, all within an interesting structure. This book fits that profile, while being very different from Beach Read. It was a wonderful read to figure out how these two friends ended up at this point in their lives and relationship, and how they would move forward.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

New physical book.

This is my book club pick for September. Set in the 1950s, it is about a Brahmin woman in India who is a henna artist. She works for wealthy and important people in India, but is considered less than these women. Her sister comes to Jaipur, and everything seems to spiral out of control at just the moment when they should be falling into place.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

My library hold on The Lost Apothecary came up right while I was reading The Henna Artist. It made for a fun pairing, because both books deal with women who heal and serve other women, albeit in very different times and places. This novel is set both in the present day, as well as in the 1790s in London. The modern day female character is lost in life and ends up working to solve a mystery about a couple of female characters, an apothecary and a child. The plot is interesting and kept me reading. At times it was difficult for me to tell apart the apothecary and child’s story lines, as they were written really similarly. But overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library on Libby.

Honestly, this was probably my least favorite of Jenny Colgan’s books, which is to stay that it’s still enjoyable. I just liked the characters less in this book than her others. The protagonist bothered me in her willingness to settle for a man who was, quite frankly, awful and super wrong for her. And it also bothered me that at the end he ended up with another woman who was willing to mother him and let him act like a petulant child, rather than him having learned any lesson at all. Finally, there’s a scene where they sell their home and sell the proceeds, and the main character is grateful that her ex split the proceeds from the house with her, rather than just giving her back her initial investment. Why she should be grateful for this is truly baffling to me. Of course she’d be entitled to that. But those complaints aside, it is still an enjoyable book set in a quirky town with fun characters.

The Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Potzsch

New Audible audiobook.

This book is a mystery about the last days of King Ludwig II of Bavaria (the fairy tale king) that starts in a bookstore and then is puzzled out with lots of excitement and intrigue all over Germany. It was enjoyable, although felt a little slow in the middle. The ending surprised me though, which is what I love in mysteries.

Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice by Brene Brown

Borrowed audiobook from library on Libby.

This audiobook is actually a recording of a presentation that Brene Brown gave. It looks at the principles from Rising Strong from a new angle. It was fantastic to have refreshers on the information that I’d already learned, while having it applied in a new manner. I recommend this.

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brene Brown

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library on Libby.

When I first started reading this book, I wasn’t sure that it was going to be particularly applicable to me. Boy, was I wrong. Shortly after starting the book, I was asked to give a talk about my own experience with COVID, and my mother’s months of fighting and ultimately passing from COVID, and the need for vaccination. The book helped me to find the why for standing (what felt like completely) alone and talking about such an emotional and divisive issue. This book is very good. Some criticisms of the book point to it being political. I disagree with them, and believe the book merely points out some situations where politicians and political parties across the spectrum got it wrong and were unwilling to take the courageous and curious path.

The Opposite of Certainty: Fear, Faith, and Life in Between by Janine Urbaniak Reid

New physical book.

Oh. My. Gosh. I really loved this book. It is a memoir that’s just so full of the wisdom that I needed, and that I think others probably need too. It doesn’t have easy answers, but I think that makes it all the more true. Here are a couple of the quotes that were memorable to me from it: “But something keeps nudging me into the here and now where people who love me wait for me to let my guard down. It’s such a familiar posture, I’ve confused it with my bone structure. As a child, I created that shield, the layer of protection between me and the world. The illusion that this keeps me safe, but all it does is hold in the hurt. I’m becoming willing to set the shield at the door with my muddy sneakers.” And: “I remember learning that ‘I am afraid’ translates to ‘J’ai peur’ in French–‘I have fear.’ I wonder what it would be like to just hold fear in my hands and not become it?” Such good stuff.

Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden

New Audible audiobook, previously owned physical book.

I’m a fan of military memoirs, and picked up the audiobook on a sale on Audible. This book was hard, and intentionally so. It demonstrated flaws in our military strategy, while highlighting courage and flaws from the very real men in the combat situation. At times, the story felt like huge losses for American forces, while in reality those losses paled in comparison to the losses suffered by the Somali combatants amassed against those American forces. The book really made me think about how I view combat and war and bravery. It was very good, but definitely was not an easy book to read due to the subject matter.

Books in Progress:

Taste for Truth: A 30 Day Weight Loss Bible Study by Barb Ravelin (Already owned Kindle e-book.) My bible study is working through this book.

Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day by Clemency Burton-Hill (Already owned physical book.)

The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin (New physical book.)

The Stand by Stephen King (Already owned Audible audiobook.)

Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini (New Audible audiobook.)

Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World by Scott Keyes

Everybody Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People by Bob Goff

Books Abandoned:

Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg (Already owned physical book.)